Though Murphy had long been on the comedy circuit, he rose to national prominence in 2003 as a co-star on Dave Chappelle's eponymous "Chappelle's Show." Murphy was also a writer for the sketch comedy show.

His most famous moments were part of "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories" that included his tales of hanging out with celebrities of the 1980s, like Rick James and Prince.

When Chappelle left the show in 2005, Charlie Murphy and comedian Donnell Rawlings took over hosting duties for a portion of the third season — which were described as the "lost episodes."

But while the 2000s might have been when Murphy's star shone the brightest in front of the camera, he also penned two films that starred his younger brother — "Vampire in Brooklyn" and "Norbit."